22 BULLETIN 1082, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICULTURE. 



a small scale and is not selling can very advantageously leave them 

 in the old matrix until the time of planting. In this case the cracking 

 of the coats is not so serious a matter, and the presence of the old 

 matrix may actually be a protection to small lots stored on a make- 

 shift basis. With the commercial grower, however, the case is very 

 different. He must preserve the coats, for more than one reason, 

 and he must separate his merchantable bulbs from his planting stock 

 without unnecessary delay, for the market is always impatient for 

 its bulbs, and the planting season is rapidly approaching. 



When the bulbs have reached the proper condition they are removed 

 from the shelves or trays to large cleaning tables, where several men 

 or boys work them over, or the cleaning is done directly from the 

 trays, suitably supported. 



It is found to be advantageous to pick out the merchantable stocks 

 by hand and at the same time break all the increase loose from 

 the clump. The large bulbs are placed by hand in receptacles 

 and returned to the shelves, or they may go directly into bags 

 for shipment. The small bulbs, together with the old coats 

 and dirt are left on the table, being pushed to one side by the 

 cleaner until they have accumulated sufficiently, when they 

 are either shoveled or pulled by hand into baskets or tubs, -in 

 which they are conveyed to a fanning mill. This machine, with a 

 suitable arrangement of sieves and padding to prevent bruising, 

 removes the dirt and blows out the old coats, leaving the stock clean 

 and ready to be sized preparatory to planting. 



A grain-fanning mill is found to be almost indispensable for cleaning 

 the small bulbs. The mDl is padded with burlap and usually all 

 sieves but one, which removes dirt, are dispensed with. By exercising 

 care it is found that no particular injury is done by the mill to the 

 smaller sizes of bulbs. 



Every operation in the cleaning must be carefully watched, to 

 prevent bruising the bulbs. Inexperienced or careless labor can do 

 irreparable injury in a short time, even by such an operation as tossing 

 bulbs into the containers instead of carefully placing them therein. 



The cleaner should have a scoop (PI. XIII, Fig. 1) close at hand, 

 and the bulbs should be placed in this receptacle and not thrown 

 into it. Such a vessel is much better than a box or pail, for bulbs 

 do not have to be dropped into it, and when it is emptied its discharge 

 of the bulbs into bags or onto the shelves again is much less likely 

 to cause injury. 



PUes of bulbs on the shelves or on the tables are generally handled 

 with ordinary iron shovels. At times a homemade, flat-bottomed, 

 wooden hand scoop is used, not essentially different from those some- 

 times used by grocers ; but if care is exercised there need be no more 

 injury from the use of a common iron shovel. For getting the bulbs 



